Sterling and Zalal show physiques ahead of UFC Vegas 116 headliner

UFC Eurasia has released physique photos of Aljamain Sterling and Youssef Zalal ahead of their main event clash at UFC Vegas 116, inviting fans to weigh in on which fighter looks the more prepared heading into this weekend's headliner.

Sterling enters the bout ranked fourth in the featherweight division, carrying a 26-5-0 record at 36 years old. The Serra-Longo Fight Team product stands five-foot-seven with a 71-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. Operating at 4.45 significant strikes landed per minute with 52 percent striking accuracy, "Funk Master" also averages 2.45 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a threat across all phases of a fight.

Zalal, nicknamed "The Moroccan Devil," comes in ranked 12th in the division with an 18-6-1 record at 29 years old. The Factory X representative stands five-foot-ten with a 72-inch reach and uses a switch stance, giving him a notable size advantage over his opponent. He averages 3.03 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy and adds 2.17 takedowns per 15 minutes, along with 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes.

Why it matters

• Sterling at fourth in the rankings makes this a high-stakes outing for a contender with title ambitions
• A Zalal win over a ranked opponent of Sterling's caliber would dramatically elevate the 12th-ranked featherweight's profile
• The style matchup pits Sterling's volume striking and grappling efficiency against Zalal's height, reach, and switch-stance versatility
• Both fighters average multiple takedowns per 15 minutes, pointing toward a competitive grappling battle on the mat as well as the feet